Adjustable shoe form



Sept. 10, 1929.

W. J. DE WITT ADJUSTABLE SHOE FORM Filed May 7, 927

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,fizvenZbr 4 53/5072 Sept. 10, 1929. J. DE WlTT 4 I 1,727,333

ADJUSTABLE SHOE FORM Filed May 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 10, 1929, w, J, DE'wm 1,727,338

ADJUSTABLEISHOE FORM- File y 1927 3 sheets-fliheet 3 Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

UNITED STATES rarest; orrica.

WILLIAM JpDE wrr'r, or AUBURN, NEW Yon-K, AssI Gnon'ro rrnn srron roar-.5 00., I

, we, or AUBURN, new YORK, A CORPORATION on NEW YORK.

ADJUSTABLE SHOE FORM.

Application filed May I, 1927. Serial No. 189,538.

This invention relates to a shoe form which is characterized by being light in weight, inconspicuous, and adjustable for I use in various sizes of shoes.

The invention includes, generically, a member which fits into the forward part or toe of the shoe and a positioning member, typically made of stitfiy resilient material such as wire, adapted to fit into the rear portion of the shoe and to lie flat against the inner surface or lining while it also thrusts the toe portion forward into the toe of the shoe. Means may be provided whereby the toe member and resilient member may be adjustably fastened together so as to determine the effective length of the shoe form and hence the tension under which the resilient member urges the toe member into the toe of the shoe. v

A representative embodiment of the invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a low shoe with the shoe form in position therein;

Fig. 2 is a plan. view of the shoe form;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the toe mem ber;

Fig.

Fig. 0 form;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the fastenmg means shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 shows a further modification of the shoe-form illustrated in Fig. 4; I

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the fastening means shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is an elevation of a modified shape of toe member;

Fig. 10 is an elevation of a further modi- 4.0 fied shape of tee member, for use in a shoe having a high heel;

Fig. 11 shows the toe portion of a still further modification of the form illustrated in Fig. 5 with parts broken away;

4 is a bottom view of the shoe form 5 shows a modification of the shoetion of the shoe form;

Fig. 12 shows, in plan, another modificaher is shaped from material similar to that of the form;

Fig. 1.5 is a plan view of a shoe form in which the arcuate member is fused or v welded upon the toe member;

Fig. 16 shows a section of transparent resilient wire;

Fig. 17 shows a section of transparent resilient tube; and

Fig. 18 shows a section of wire havinga 6 transparent covering. I

In the drawings, numeral 1 indicates a shoe form in position in a shoe 2. The form includes a toe member 3 (Fig. 2) preferably made of a relatively stiff but resilient material suchas sheet celluloid'ur the like having inturned margins 4; and 5 on the under side and one or several inturned flaps 6 in the point of the toe. Attached to the margins at and 5 and extending transversely of the toe member or of the shoe in which it is placed is provided a cross bar 7 having lateral rows 8 and 9 of stop members such as serrations or openings which are spaced apart longitudinally of the form. 7

Extending rearwardly from the toe member is provided a positioning member 11 of resilient material, such as wire, bent or bowed at its central part to conform substantially to the inner surface of the counter portion of a shoe, and having forwardly projecting elements 12, 13 somewhat contracted in the central portion and coiled as at 15, 16. The ends 17, 18 are bent over to register with and to engage selected openings in the rows 8 and 9 respectively already referred to.

The side portions 19 and 20 of the toe member may rise slightly at their rear ends as in Fig. 3 or'curve downwardly as in Fig. 9; and in the case of a high heel, they may curve upwardly as a whole, in the manner shown in Fig. 10. In any case, the construction of the present invention is equally applicable and may also be employed with'other types of shoe forms. Y i

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the arcuate positioning member 11 may be given a half turn (thus crossing the side elements 12, 1.3 and the forward ends may be bent into loops 22 which are permanently 1 in Figs. 16 and 17.

, the shoe.

A ain as shown in Fi 7 the forward in 7 t: 7

ends of the member 11 may be bent back as at 24, 25 and then passed through the openings 8, 9 without forming a coil.

As shown in Fig. 11 bothends of the member 11 may be brought together in the front end of the toe member and permanently fastened to the inturned margin 6.

The shoe form of any of the modifications shown is assembled by simply engaging the forward ends of the wire member 11 into holes 8 and 9 corresponding to the length required for the shoe with which it is to be used.

The form shown in Figr12 resembles the other forms, but the forward ends 12, 13 of the positionin 'zmember 11 are bent directly downward and riveted to the inturned margins 4 and 5, respectively.

The resilient metallic wire 11 may be replaced by celluloid wire or rod 26, as shown in Figs. 14 and 15, or by tubular wires of celluloid 27 or analogous material, as shown A combination of these, consisting of a metallic wire28 within a hollow wire 29 of the transparent material, as in Fig. 18 may also beused advantageously for the purpose.

When. such transparent material is employed for the arcuate member, and especially when it 1s of the same composition as the rest of the form or of appropriate characteristics, the. ends 12 and 13 of the wire may be welded or fused directly to the cross bar 7 (or to the margins 4 and 5) as shown at 30 in Figs. 14 and 15. This may-also be accomplished in known ways by the application of an appropriate solvent to the contacting surfaces and permitting them to ad-' here and solidify.

In use the toe member of the form is thrust into the toe of the shoe, the form being shaped to conform closely to the inside of The arcuate member 11 is then forced down into the rear portion of the shoe, Upon release the wire expands and fits snuglyagainst the inside of the shoe while the forward ends of the wire are urged forward by the resiliency of the whole and, due to their attachment to the toe member, they urge the toe member forward into the toe of the shoe. The spring portion in the forward part of the wire members, whether coiled as in Figs. 2 and 4 or simply bent as in Fig. 7, tends to hold the cross piece 7 down against the sole of the shoe and to draw or thrust the toe member as a whole directly forwardand into the point ofthe shoe. Atthe same time, the side elements 12, 13, remain substantially parallel or are easily contracted if they are pressed together by the sides of the shoe. Accordingly, the,

tendency of the expansion of the form is to elongate the shoe and to permit the sides to contract slightly in the central portion. This contraction is regarded as a desirable feature, especially for display purposes, in that it contributes a somewhat exaggerated impres sion' of length and slimness tot-he general appearance of the shoe.

A "similar effect is obtained by theform shown inFig. 5; This is inserted into the shoe in the same manner as already described, but owi'ng to the lateral attachment of the ends by the loops 22 to the studs 23 on the side flanges 4 and 5, and still more by the crossing of the arcuate wire member 11, the sides of the toe member are thrust outwardly as well as forwardly. This causes the sides of the shoe upper to collapse slightly, in the rear of the expanded toe portion, where the wires cross and hence do not touchthe shoe upper. This gives an effectively long and narrow appearance to the shoe as a Whole, while firmly retaining its shape in the toe area. "The modification shown in Fig. 11 still further develops this principle by permitting the rear part of the toe of the shoe as well as the sides to contract (the points of pressure being substantially restricted to the point of the toe and theheel) and elongating the shoe throughout its entire length. The form illustratedin Fig. 12 is intro duced into the shoe in a similar manner, the forward thrust of the wires tending to draw the sides of the form inward and at the same time holdthe inturned margins 4 and 5 flatly against the inner side of the sole of the shoe.

When the arcuate member is fashioned from transparent or translucent (or colored) material it is not readily distinguishable from the side of the shoe liningparticularly if .of, the same color as the shoe lining. Hence theshoe is retained in the desired shape but nosupp'orts or forms are apparent and the whole shoe, both inside and outside may be freely exhibited and examined without being obscured or having the general appearance impaired by the forms employed.

I claim:

1. A shoe form, comprising a toe member to fit into thetoe of ashoe, a resilient positioning member shaped to correspond substantially to the rear portion of the shoe, and means for adj ustably fastening the forward endof the bowed member to the toe member.

2. A shoe form comprising a toe member to fit into the toe of a shoe, a band positioned transversely of the toe, a plurality of stop members in said band, spaced longitudinally of the shoe, aresilient strip of wire shaped substantially to fit the inside of.

the shoe and means for securing the forward ends of the wire strip in said openings thereby to determine the efiective length of the shoe form. r

3. A shoe form comprising a toe member to fit into the toe of a shoe, a band positioned transversely of the toe member, a plurality of stop members in said band, spaced longitudinally of the shoe, a resilient strip of wire shaped substantially to fit the inside of the shoe, said wire being shaped to provide a spring in each of its forward ends and means for securing the ends of the wire strip in said openings, thereby to determine the effective length of the shoe form.

4. A shoe form comprising a toe member to fit within the forward part of a shoe, said toe member having a crossbar provided with a plurality of openings spaced longitudinally along the sides of the form, and a unitary resilient brace having a pair of elements selectively engageable with any pair of openings in the crossbar and conform to and bear with resilient pressure against the counter portion of the shoe.

5. A shoe form comprising a hollow thin walled toe member provided with a crossbar at its ball portion, said crossbar having a plurality of openings spaced longitudinally along the sides of the form, and a unitary resilient brace having a pair of hooks selectively engageable with any pair of said openings, the brace extending forwardly from the hooks and then rearwardly and having a part engageable with the inner surface of the counter portion of the shoe.

6; A shoe form comprising a hollow thin walled toe member shaped to conform closely to the forward portion of the internal cavity of a shoe, a crossbar at the ball portion of the form, said bar having a plurality of openings spaced longitudinally along the sides of the form, and a resilient brace having a pair of terminal elements selectively engageable with any pair of said openings the brace extending forwardly from said elements to a coiled portion and then extending rear-wardly from the coiled portion and having a part engageable with the inner surface of the counter portion of the shoe.

7. A shoe form comprising a toe member to fit within the forward part of a shoe, said toe member having a crossbar provided with openings, and a unitary resilient brace having a pair of forwardly projecting elements extending above and below said crossbar and engageable from below with the openings in the crossbar, said brace having a part engaging with the heel counter of the shoe.

8. A shoe form comprising a toe memher to fit within the forward part of a shoe, said toe member having a crossbar provided with openings, and a unitary resilient brace having a pair of forwardly projecting elements extending above and below said crossbar and engageable from below with the openings in the crossbar, said elements having coiled portions forward of said crossbar and said brace having a part engaging with the heel counter of the shoe.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 4th day of May, 1927.

WILLIAM J. DE WITT. 

